Ann Reardon

Beware of Fake DIY videos

 

How big is the problem?

Through these debunking videos I hope to raise awareness of “fake baking and DIY” phenomenon — fabricated how-to’s that present as factual, mixed in with real ones which escalated confusion.

Inaccurate content on YouTube and Facebook is not new, but the scale and professional level on which they are now being produced and consumed is unprecedented. The ‘5-minute crafts’ brand of channels received more than one billion views in the last 30 days. Yes, you read that correctly, a BILLION video views – that is more than 1.3 million views every hour. If all that content was accurate or at least labelled ‘for entertainment purposes only, these do not work’ then there would be no problem. Instead it misinforming or deceiving an unsuspecting mass audience, a lot of which may be children.

Why do fake DIY’s exist?

So why do companies bother cleverly producing fake or exaggerated outcomes or incorrect methods for DIY’s? As is the case with ‘fake news’, falsified DIY’s look more impressive and shareable than real how-to videos. Which leads to more views, meaning more adverts running against those videos and therefore more money.

What can you do to help? Do you have any power against fake DIY’s and baking?

If you see a video that is dangerous or inappropriate screenshot the advertiser that appears before or on the video (be sure to get the video title in the screenshot) and send it on social media to the brand. Explain what you are concerned about in the video, with the timestamp and question why they, the brand, are paying for the content by advertising against that video.
If the brands fail to act, then there is really nothing you can do, except be aware and educate others about the mass proliferation of fake DIY content.
We have tried tweeting youtube on mass as the viewers and that had no effect.
Many of you tried reporting the bleached strawberries video and again – no effect, youtube reviewed the video and decided that it did not violate any of their policies and could remain monetised.
So moving on to the only power players in this arena – the advertisers. They are the ones who spend money on the platform, so in reality they are the customers and the only ones who can effectively press for change. I’ve seen this again and again in my years on youtube. The moment advertisers pull spend, youtube listens, creates new policies and makes changes overnight. Money appears to be the loudest motivator.

© All Rights Reserved Reardon Media PL 2019

My Cookbook

ann reardon crazy sweet creations cookbook
Stores that sell my book listed by country: http://bit.ly/ARcookbook
All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.

8 Comments View Comments

  1. Rating: 5

    They r crazy 🤪

  2. Rating: 5

    Dummies trying to trick us just for money and fame. >:(

    • Well, if we didn’t have those dummies. Ann wouldn’t have a video that gets million views, as her other “normal” videos don’t get the views to keep her channel up and running. Ann knows what she is doing when is doing these debunking videos, not exposing them but trying to keep her dying channel alive, as she missed the YouTube “train”. It’s all in the numbers and I’m talking about the views.

  3. Lemon+sugar+Water+heat = caramel.

    Caramel of that consistency is really hot. Burn skin.

    Cheers from Brazil

  4. Rating: 5

    that was weird they are so strange. i mean the peoples who make the vids!!

  5. Rating: 5

    I should report against fake baking and DIY.

  6. Rating: 5

    Bravo
    We all should do what you do: reporte them …
    But after those videos were reported, they should be taken off … some people are sleeping or do not care at all
    Once again Bravo!!!

    • Yes, do message the advertisers. If enough people do, it may actually make a difference

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